


Sea of Flames

by sailorcole



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:47:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22286617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorcole/pseuds/sailorcole
Relationships: Ladrien - Relationship, adrienette, ladynoir, marichat - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Sea of Flames

Chapter One: Adrienette

Marinette

Blonde hair, green eyes.

That's all I remember seeing last night.

The night was a blur of red and black, dots dancing upon my eyelids.  
I don't remember what happened, but I do remember this: blonde hair and gorgeous green eyes. I somehow made my way to my apartment above my family's bakery. I stumbled in, exhausted, spent. My ruckus of noise wasn't enough to wake the neighbors. For this I was grateful. I shimmied out of my clothes, soiled from the night's events. If only I could remember what had happened. Think Marinette. Think.

I let my outfit fall to the floor, myself along with it. They lay strewn and helpless. I was in a chaotic state, tidbits of the night flew in and out of focus. What happened? I was the calm one. The careful one. So why don’t I remember? I eventually found the strength to rise from the hardwood floor and let my body sink into my bed. Maybe I would remember in the morning. If not, did it really matter? I cocooned myself in my blankets and waited for sleep to take me. And when I was enveloped all I saw was blonde hair and green eyes.

~~~~

Riiiiing. Riiiing.

I awoke to the vibrations of my cellphone. I groped the bed, searching for the sound. I grasped the slim device and slid my finger across the screen, answering the call.

“Marinette, wake up, girl!” My best friend, Alya, was on the other end. “I’ve been texting you since last night! You didn’t answer. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, Alya. My battery must have died. I’m sorry!”

“You have got to charge your phone girl, I was seriously worried. Did you even see the story I sent you?”

“What story?”  
“What story?! Girl, check your phone I know I blasted you with a million texts.”

I slid the phone call away and checked my texts. I had 34 messages from Alya. Her name was at the top of my messages list. I hit her name and a flood of messages appeared on the screen.

Hey, Marinette, text me! We should meet later to hang out.  
Marinette, text me back!  
Marinette, are you okay? Have you seen the news?  
Mariii!!!  
…

“Look at the link I sent you, Marinette.”

“Okay,” I scrolled down the infinite array of messages and found the link that Alya mentioned.

FIRE NEAR ARC DE TRIOMPHE  
Yesterday a fire caught during Paris’ cooking festival. The festival has been going on continuously without incident for the last 40 years. Eyewitnesses said they spotted a “large cat” at the scene of the fire, helping attendees get out of harm's way.

“That’s right,” I told Alya. “There was a fire last night. I think I must have inhaled too much smoke. When I got home I completely passed out.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re fine. You should get some rest and relax today, okay?”

“Yeah, I will, see ya, Alya.”

I turned off the conversation and reread the link. A large cat? That’s odd. Why in all of Paris would there be a large cat? Maybe the writer was trying to lighten up the reading of the incident. Whatever, I’m sure it won’t affect me.

I got out of bed and turned the shower on, ready to rejuvenate my body and tense muscles from the previous night. I stared at the water from the showerhead, spraying me, in a daze. I shook my head and steadied myself. Maybe I did inhale too many fumes. I turned off the water and grabbed a nearby towel and started my morning rituals. Once my body was dried I did some light makeup and blow-dried my hair, putting my hair into pigtails. After I got dressed, I left for a cafe near the Eiffel Tower. My favorite spot to work as of late.

The cafe was mostly empty and I found myself seated outside on the patio. I could view the Eiffel Tower from where I sat and I started to sketch lightly. Fashion has always been an interest of mine. And when I finished college I planned to design full-time. But for now, I did what I could in between classes and working in the bakery. This spot was my home away from home and I basked in the sunlight, making odd shapes make sense and clothes come to life.

A waiter was making the rounds from table to table. I was next. “Bonjour, Miss, can I get you anything today?” I looked up at the waiter. He had a godlike smile and piercing green eyes. I tried to think of words, but my body couldn’t function. His blonde hair was positively gleaming. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.

“Miss?” He questioned. “Uh no, no thank you.” I finally responded. “Let me know if I can get you anything, my name is Adrien.” He turned and left towards the cafe. I felt my cheeks burning and buried myself in my sketchbook, sliding down the chair until I was as small as I could be. What was a divine-human being like that doing here?

As the sun slowly began to dip beneath the skyline I decided it was time to leave. I had spent the entire day here. As I gathered my things, I felt a presence approach me. And there he was. The waiter from before. I let my gaze fall onto him and then he spoke.

“Miss, I brought you some hot chocolate. I know you didn’t eat anything earlier so I figured this would warm you up while you walked home? I mean, assuming you’re going home. It was just a guess,” Adrien mumbled.

“Thanks.” I grabbed the hot chocolate from his outstretched hand. It was warm, along with his fingers that gently rubbed against mine for only the briefest of a second. I began to turn towards my apartment but realized he was still there, waiting.

“Here, let me pay you for this, you’re very sweet..” Adrien’s gaze caught hers and he shook his head. “No, don’t worry about it. Although there is something I would like from you...” He motioned for me to step closer and so I obliged. He leaned in close and I could feel his breath tickle my earlobe. “Your name, milady?”

“Marinette,” I answered him. And I felt a shiver creep down my spine. I was aroused by the closeness of his body to mine and I felt the heat pile up within my body. I stepped away and he nodded to himself.

“Marinette, I’ll see you again sometime.” And with that, he walked away in the opposite direction. I hurried home, elated by the experience I had just had, warm from the cocoa and the proximity of his all-encompassing aura.

~~~~

Adrien

“Plagg, claws out!” I summoned my kwami and became Chat Noir, the newly christened superhero of the city of Paris. After a stint with some odd couple the other night this was my second time patrolling and partaking in my “superhero duties”. Long story short I helped an old man and now I have a little deity that hangs around in my pockets when I’m not Chat Noir, the black cat with powers of destruction.

I raced around the rooftops keeping my eyes on the Parisians below. The annual cooking festival was underway and I figured this particular spot was as nice as any to watch over the festivities. I sat down on the hard tiles, my suit protecting my body from the rough surface. What a purrfect night to watch the stars. Of course, the moment I started to relax the night had to end up in a disarray. There was a chef whose apprentice had accidentally spilled one of his signature dishes, which was to be promptly served. He hurled insults at the girl and she started crying. I watched as her emotions altered from sad to sadistic. Another pawn in Hawkmoth’s plan. Hawkmoth is, of course, the big baddie to my superhero. I learned that the other night. 

I traced a path towards the girl, shouting at the chef, who previously was yelling, now a huddled mess cowering beside his cooking equipment. The girl burst into flames. I ran and jumped and the flames lashed out, licking too close for comfort at my suits tail. I hid behind some hedges, as she hadn’t noticed me yet.

“Why don’t you understand, it was an accident! I’m not going to apologize to you, you jerk! You’ll burn for this!”

The girl’s hair singed red, she lobbed fireballs at the chef. This set the whole scene ablaze and attendees of the festival ran off, scared for their lives. The girl’s demeanor changed and her outfit transformed from a shirt and jeans to that of a fiery dress, with wings made of flames. She flew around, aiming for the chef, while he ducked and ran around, causing the fire to spread.

I remembered what the man told me, I was supposed to have a partner, a Ladybug to equalize my bad luck with her good. But he hadn’t found one yet and deemed that I was capable of finding my own partner. And even though this girl was akumatized, there was something about her that I trusted. There was a spirit in her, a vibrant one at that.

I didn’t have the power that the unexisting Ladybug had but I did have the power of the Cataclysm, my ultimate move that would destroy the akuma, the creator of her sin. If only I could pinpoint where the akuma had struck her. What was she doing before she transformed? That’s right! The tray she was carrying was in her left hand. She was using it as a shield. If I could get close enough I could swipe that tray and blast it with my Cataclysm.

I steadied myself, the leaves surrounding me were beginning to scratch at my face, the part below my mask that was uncovered. I batted the foliage away and prepared my plan of attack. I was about to pounce when the girl stopped in her tracks.

She was yelling at the chef. No wait, she was yelling at herself. “Go away,” she screamed. She threw her clenched fists into the air in defeat. Her body dropped to the ground and she collapsed. The transformation that had taken place dissolved and her civilian clothes revealed themselves, singed but there.

The fire raged on. The smoke was encircling her in its deadly trap and I made the decision to get her. Get to her. I put a gloved hand to my mouth, to cover myself from breathing in the smoke and rushed into the smoke. The chef was nowhere to be seen so I decided he must have run off while this girl, this woman actually, was screaming at herself.

When I arrived she was coughing from inhaling the smoke’s fumes. Her eyes were closed so I took this chance to lift her up and carry her away from the fire. I found a safe place a few blocks away from the scene and gently laid her against a wall. I nudged her shoulder until she opened her eyes. She looked at me, but I didn’t really feel her see me. She was looking past me and then slowly she cocked her head and saw me. Bluebell eyes and all. I put a finger to my lips and left, using my baton to hurl me towards the fire station where I would inform them of the fire, circle around for any stragglers left and start towards home.

After that was done, everything was out of my hands and I slipped into the darkness, towards my house, exhausted and nearly out of time. My ring, my Miraculous, granted me this power and I only had a limited amount of time to use it. With the few last blinks gone, I transformed back into my everyday clothes with my hands outstretched, an exhausted little devil ready to sleep.

I laid down Plagg on my bed and changed my clothes into something that didn’t smell of sulfur. The night was all but over but my time to rest came while the sun rose.

~~~~

I rose in the afternoon, thankful for my late shift at the cafe. I changed into my work attire, a white button-down, with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of black pants and I was set to go. My father disapproved of my day job, but I decided to do what I could to rely on myself and not him. I shuffled out the door and headed towards work, one of the only places I truly ever felt like myself, simply because I chose to be there, not because I was forced to be.

When I arrived the cafe was essentially barren, a handful of repeat customers occupied several spaces while a splash of newcomers came in through the front door, waiting to be served and awed. I hung my coat and personal items in my locker and placed my apron over my head, adjusting the collar and tying the straps around my waist. This was always difficult because I liked to be comfortable, not too tight and not too loose. In the grand scheme of things my apron wasn’t the most important part of the job, but I liked to feel in control of what little aspects of my life that I could.

I fished around for my nametag and nearly poked myself in the process. This was the last step and I was ready to start my shift. I dallied around the time clock for a second, took a breath and started the day. It was winter in Paris and the number of customers we had currently wasn’t a lot so I only worked with one other employee. He was cool and chill and gave me an easy day, simply because we worked so well together.

Nino tilted his head toward a woman with black hair when he saw me come into the kitchen. His headphones were snaking their way around his neck and I pointed towards them, to which he bashfully tucked them in, naked to the eyes once more.

“Are you gonna talk to her? She looks like your type?” Nino teased as soon as I got within range of him. I glanced at the women and bit my lip. Nino was right, he was always right.

“Why are you constantly trying to hook me up, Nino?” I glared at him and he shrugged it off.

“I just want you to be happy, Adrien. Of all the people in the world, I owe it to you to help you. I would be totally friendless without you, ya know?”

I find that to be highly doubtful. “Right, Nino, tell that to Max and Kim.”

“Oh, shut up, for once and let me help you out. She hasn’t been served yet, go talk to her.”

I watched her for a moment. Her face was turned away from me, but I liked the way she was dressed, and something about her seemed familiar. Maybe I’d seen her in here before? “Alright Nino, I’ll go, you maniac.”

I walked towards the door to the patio and made my way from table to table, eventually settling upon hers. I stood in front of her and my mouth started moving before I had a chance to think.

“Bonjour, Miss, can I get you anything today?” I questioned. She looked at me, unresponsive. I tried again. “Miss?”

“Uh no, no thank you.” The woman finally stammered out. The expression on her face was confused and flushed and I adored her. I let her know that I was around if she needed anything at all. She nodded dutifully and I let her be until nightfall came and the world was quiet.

My shift had ended and I snuck a peek at her. She was still there, sketching away. What she was drawing I didn’t have a clue. Maybe I should have paid more attention, I could have tried to spark a conversation instead of just this and just that. I decided to make her some hot chocolate for her walk home, at least she could find some comfort in that.

I prepared it and brought it outside for her. I gave it to her and she responded positively. She tried to pay me for it, but I told her no. When I passed the cup to her I felt the warmth of her hands and I felt the need to touch them again. She turned away and I stopped her, motioning for her to come closer. I whispered in her ear, “Your name Milady?”

“Marinette,” she explained. I nodded my head in thanks and told her I might see her around. I headed towards my house down the street, a few blocks away.

I turned around once more, she was long gone. I remembered something. That woman from last night. I swear she had the same bluebell eyes.


End file.
